Darren Williams honors Eric Roy after cancer death

Former Sunderland midfielder Darren Williams remembered his 1999‑00 teammate Eric Roy, who died on Wednesday after battling pancreatic cancer, saying Roy always wore a smile and was a flamboyant yet polite figure on and off the pitch. He added that Roy quickly gelled with the squad and helped younger players.

At the time of his death, Eric Roy was the manager of Ligue 1 club Brest. His passing was confirmed on Wednesday.

Roy played as a defensive midfielder for Sunderland, making 31 appearances. He scored one goal and provided two assists during his spell.

The two shared the field in the 1999‑00 season, contributing to Sunderland's impressive seventh‑place finish in the Premier League after promotion. That campaign marked the Black Cats' highest league position in recent years.

Williams told BBC Radio Newcastle: “We were all a little bit unaware of him when he came into the side, but what a fantastic player he turned out to be.” He continued, “He was quite flamboyant. He always had a smile on his face.”

He added, “He was also good for the younger lads, and I was one of them. If you had any concerns or issues, you could always sit down and just have a chat with him.” He said this showed Roy’s character in the dressing room.

Williams concluded, “I could always see him going into the managerial side of things. What Eric wanted to do, you knew Eric would do.” The comment highlighted Roy’s ambition beyond playing.

The full interview is available on BBC Sounds. Listeners can hear the entire conversation on BBC Radio Newcastle’s platform.